As many of you already know, we have been using MEGA for quite a while to host the 24-bit download files. Unfortunately, our account was recently suspended, so I have had to start using alternative file hosting services for larger files. The 24-bit downloads are too large to store directly on my personal web hosting service.
Going forward, you will now notice two separate 24-bit download buttons located at the bottom of each post. It has been brought to my attention that some browsers and devices do not always work properly with certain file hosting sites. If one link gives you trouble, please try the second option.
Please also keep in mind that the 24-bit files will now only remain active for up to six days. Most free file hosting services automatically remove files after that amount of time, so these links are only temporary.
This is one of the reasons I strongly encourage everyone to subscribe to the site’s email notifications, so you will know as soon as new posts go live and can grab the files before they disappear.
Also, for several years, I kept most posts published before 2015 set to private. I have now republished many of those posts for archive reading purposes only. Please note that none of the archive posts contain active download links.
From time to time, I do revisit and update these older posts with fresh new transfers. Since many of them were originally published, I have made major upgrades to my audio equipment and transfer chain, allowing me to significantly improve the sound quality of newer restorations.
Like the Pet Shop Boys once said, “If you don’t get that mix, it’s gone ’86.”
Thank you all for your continued support and understanding.
Released in February 1982, “I Predict” was the first single taken from Sparks’ eleventh studio album Angst In My Pants. By this point, brothers Ron and Russell Mael had fully embraced a slick synth-pop and new wave sound while continuing to deliver the eccentric humor and sharp satire that made them one of the most unique acts in popular music.
“I Predict” became Sparks’ first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 60 in May 1982. The achievement marked the duo’s first success on the U.S. singles chart since “Wonder Girl” in 1971, ending an eleven-year absence from the American Hot 100.
Produced by Mack, known for his work with Queen and Electric Light Orchestra, the track perfectly balanced quirky art-pop with polished early 80s production. Driven by sharp synthesizers, pulsing rhythms, and Russell Mael’s unmistakable falsetto, “I Predict” delivered one of Sparks’ most accessible singles while still maintaining their wonderfully bizarre sense of humor.
Lyrically, the song is classic Sparks, absurd, witty, and satirical. The narrator confidently predicts fame, scandal, and strange future events with complete sincerity, creating a surreal commentary on celebrity culture and media obsession years before reality television and viral fame became commonplace.
In the United States, a promotional 12-inch single was issued featuring an exclusive “Club Mix” of “I Predict,” available only on the promo release. The extended mix gave DJs a longer and more dancefloor-friendly version of the track, highlighting the layered synthesizer arrangements and quirky vocal passages that made Sparks stand apart from their contemporaries.
The music video made to accompany the single quickly became infamous during the early MTV era. The clip featured Ron Mael in drag performing a striptease dance routine in a Los Angeles nightclub while Russell lip-syncs the song’s lyrics. Because of the video’s more mature sexual themes and adult content, MTV generally limited airings to late-night hours or around midnight.
Over the years, the video has often been mistakenly credited to filmmaker David Lynch because of its surreal visual style. However, the book Talent Is An Asset: The Story Of Sparks credits the video to Steve and Doug Martin, who intentionally created the clip in a style inspired by Lynch’s work.
While “I Predict” was only a modest chart hit at the time, the single has grown into one of Sparks’ defining tracks from their early 80s period. The song perfectly captures the duo’s ability to combine sophisticated pop songwriting, experimental humor, and fearless visual presentation into something completely original. More than forty years later, “I Predict” still sounds daring, strange, and unmistakably Sparks.
SIDE A: I Predict 2:52
SIDE B: I Predict (Club Mix) 6;20
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
Chart Performance — Sparks: I Predict (1982)
Chart
Peak Position
Date
US Billboard Hot 100
#60
1982
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Atlantic – PR 429
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave
NEW 2026 Transfer NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration
Original post date: September 23, 2016
British new wave band ABC released “The Look Of Love” in May 1982 as the third single from their debut album “The Lexicon of Love.” Produced by the legendary Trevor Horn, the track became one of the band’s signature songs, peaking at #4 on the UK Singles Chart and reaching #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. With its sophisticated mix of synth-pop, funk grooves, lush orchestration, and sharp lyrical wit, “The Look Of Love” helped define the sound and style of early ‘80s pop music.
The single itself was an ambitious concept divided into four interconnected sections referred to as “Parts One, Two, Three and Four.” Each segment explored different moods and arrangements while maintaining the song’s sleek and cinematic identity. Martin Fry’s cool, detached vocal delivery paired perfectly with Trevor Horn’s polished production techniques, creating a track that sounded unlike anything else on radio at the time.
For American audiences, Mercury Records issued a special 12″ remix in 1982 featuring a completely different take on the song by Trevor Horn. This exclusive U.S. remix became highly sought after by club DJs and collectors due to its extended structure, added instrumental passages, and deeper dub influences. Included on the U.S. 12″ was the rare “U.S.A. Remix Dub,” also known among fans as “Part Five.”
Although the U.S.A. Remix Dub later appeared on the compilations “Absolutely” and “Look Of Love – The Very Best Of ABC,” both versions were edited. The full-length mix also surfaced on the poorly mastered “Remix Collection” CD, leaving vinyl enthusiasts searching for the original 12″ pressing to experience the remix properly.
After its original release, the 1982 U.S. Remix became increasingly difficult to find, and demand for the record grew steadily among DJs and devoted ABC fans. Original copies of the Mercury Records 12″ often commanded high prices on the collector’s market. Recognizing the ongoing demand, Neutron Records, the band’s UK label, eventually issued a limited-edition promotional 12″ repress of the Trevor Horn remix under the title “Special Remix.” While not considered an official re-release of the single, it gave collectors another opportunity to obtain the legendary mix without paying premium import prices.
Today I am revisiting this classic with a NEW 2026 meticulous audio restoration and transfer from my original U.S. Mercury Records 12″ pressing. Every effort has been made to preserve the warmth, dynamics, and punch of the original vinyl while presenting these rare mixes in the best possible quality.
Whether you remember hearing “The Look Of Love” on MTV, in the clubs, or blasting through late-night radio in 1982, this remains one of the defining singles of the decade and a shining example of Trevor Horn’s groundbreaking studio craftsmanship.
SIDE A: The Look Of Love (USA Remix – Dub Version) 7:39
Remix [Uncredited] – ABC
Remix [Uncredited] – Trevor Horn
SIDE B: The Look Of Love (Part 3 – Dance Version) 4:17
Remix [Uncredited] –John Luongo
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
Chart Performance – ABC: The Look Of Love (1982)
Chart (1982)
Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)
7
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)
16
Canada Top Singles (RPM)
1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)
4
Ireland (IRMA)
12
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
12
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
11
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)
5
Spain (AFYVE)
15
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)
8
UK Singles (OCC)
4
US Billboard Hot 100
18
US Dance/Disco Top 80 (Billboard)
1
US Rock Top Tracks (Billboard)
32
US Cash Box Top 100
9
West Germany (GfK)
36
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Mercury – MDS-4023, Mercury – 6400 751
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Stereo, 53
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop, New Wave
NEW 2026 Transfer NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration
Original post date: July 19, 2011
“Don’t Cry It’s Only The Rhythm”…
Few songs in pop history are as daring, theatrical, and sonically adventurous as Slave To The Rhythm by Grace Jones. Released in October 1985, the single was the centerpiece of Jones’ critically acclaimed album of the same name, a record that blurred the lines between pop, art, performance, and avant-garde experimentation.
Produced by the legendary duo of Trevor Horn and Stephen Lipson, “Slave To The Rhythm” became one of Grace Jones’ signature recordings. Built around thunderous percussion, dramatic orchestration, layered vocals, and hypnotic grooves, the track remains a striking example of mid-80s studio innovation.
The project originally began as a song intended for Frankie Goes to Hollywood, but Trevor Horn ultimately realized the composition was perfectly suited for Grace Jones’ commanding vocal style and larger-than-life persona. The result was unlike anything else on radio at the time.
The album itself was conceived almost like a concept piece. Different variations and interpretations of the title track appear throughout the LP, weaving together interviews, spoken-word passages, orchestral elements, and dense production techniques that pushed studio technology of the era to its limits. Horn utilized the Fairlight CMI extensively, helping create the album’s futuristic and cinematic soundscape.
“Slave To The Rhythm” was a major international success. The single reached the Top 10 in several countries including the UK, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, while also becoming a staple of dance clubs worldwide. In the United States, Grace Jones continued to strengthen her reputation as one of the most fearless and uncompromising artists of the decade.
The unforgettable music video, directed by Jean-Paul Goude, perfectly complemented the song’s surreal atmosphere. Goude, who had previously collaborated extensively with Jones both artistically and personally, created striking visual imagery that further cemented her status as a true icon of style and performance art.
This UK Limited Edition 12″ single contains the full-length “Blooded Version” of the track, running over eight minutes and delivering the complete immersive experience intended for the dance floor. From its dramatic opening narration to its explosive percussion breakdowns, the extended mix remains one of the defining 12-inch releases of the 1980s.
As with many productions from Trevor Horn during this era, the vinyl pressing offers warmth, punch, and dynamic range that many later digital releases struggle to capture fully. The layered percussion, deep bass textures, and atmospheric details especially come alive on a properly mastered 12-inch pressing.
Presented here is a NEW 2026 meticulous audio restoration and transfer, sourced directly from vinyl to preserve the depth, clarity, and power of this groundbreaking recording.
Whether experienced as avant-garde pop, dance music, or pure sonic theater, “Slave To The Rhythm” remains one of the boldest artistic statements of the 1980s. Nearly four decades later, it still sounds futuristic.
SIDE A: Slave To The Rhythm (Blooded) 8:29
SIDE B: Junk Yard 5:21 Annihilated Rhythm 3:38
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
Poster: Mint
Chart Performance – Grace Jones: Slave To The Rhythm (1985–1986)
Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)
20
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)
7
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)
4
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)
18
European Top 100 Singles (Eurotipsheet)
7
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)
16
France (SNEP)
50
Italy (Musica e dischi)
6
Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)
8
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
3
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)
5
Spain (AFYVE)
14
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)
5
UK Singles (OCC)
12
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)
1
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)
20
West Germany (GfK)
4
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label:ZTT – 12IS 206, Island Records – 12IS 206
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Limited Edition, Poster
Country: UK
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop, Avant-Garde
NOTES:
“The members of the Z.T.T. art AND ACT SERVICE and the strictly unreasonable ZANG TUUM TUMB BIG BEAT COLOSSUS, who accompany Miss Grace Jones, are acknowledged on the cover of the biography.”
Includes a poster – sleeve sealed with a green and silver sticker featuring the wording “Strictly Limited Edition Includes Special Poster”.
